


Symphogear Shorts

by meganekkomeguca



Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-10-25 09:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20722061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganekkomeguca/pseuds/meganekkomeguca
Summary: Assorted Symphogear fic stuff. Title, tags, warnings, etc. all subject to change as new content is added. [Chapter 2: Carol's Rice House (Part 1)]





	1. Chapter 1

After saving the world, there was always a lot of extra business to take care of. Government debriefings, medical examinations, catching up on what felt like years of lost sleep. But finally things had slowed down enough to allow the Symphogear users a chance to relax. Hibiki and Miku had decided to spend the evening in, finally enjoying some time to reconnect. Dinner had been courtesy of Chef Family Mart, and now they were watching an anime movie that Yumi had loaned them.

It was good to have a normal evening. This was how every day should be, the two of them together, sitting hand in hand, watching a silly anime movie, the fate of the world a complete non-issue. Hibiki only had to turn her head to reassure herself that Miku was here and safe. Safe and smiling, no worried furrow creasing her brow, no tension in her shoulders.

The movie was okay, but it couldn't hold Hibiki's interest tonight. She'd rather watch Miku's reactions, how her lips curved into a familiar soft smile at funny moments, that exasperated headshake when the hero did something dumb, a gesture Hibiki knew all too well. And next came a curious glance, eyebrows raised, as Miku caught Hibiki staring.

Hibiki gave her a bashful grin but didn't look away. Miku smiled back and squeezed her hand before turning back to the movie. Something in Hibiki's chest fluttered from that small gesture. This small happiness, sparked by a simple smile, was a miracle, and at this moment, it wanted to burst forth, and Hibiki didn't have it in herself to contain it.

She raised Miku's hand to her lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Miku startled and turned to Hibiki. Her lips parted with an unasked question, which Hibiki could only answer with a shy grin. Her heart was pounding as she kissed Miku's hand once again, and when Miku ducked her head, her cheeks going pink, Hibiki's free hand moved on its own, cupping Miku's cheek and raising her chin so she could meet Hibiki's eyes once again.

After so many years as best friends, there was no mistaking the nervousness, the anticipation, and the hope that played across Miku's face. That third emotion emboldened Hibiki, and she leaned in, closing the space between them with a kiss. Miku gasped, a soft, desperate sound, and she pulled Hibiki close.

Everything about kissing Miku felt right, like for the first time Hibiki was finally able to communicate just how utterly precious her friend was to her. Hibiki drew back to catch her breath and to study Miku's face. The shine of unshed tears alarmed Hibiki, but she was reassured by Miku's smile beaming back at her.

"I thought- I was so worried I'd never get- " Miku wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Jeez, Hibiki! You could have said something sooner, you know!"

"Eheh, sorry." Back to how things had always been. Hibiki flashed her well-polished apologetic grin.

Miku smiled and gave her head a small shake. She blinked back a few new tears, her expression sobering. "Hibiki?"

"Yeah?" Hibiki took Miku's hand in both of hers. Whatever was troubling Miku, they'd face it together. 

Miku kissed her. Deep and desperate and full of the raw passion that Miku usually kept in check. Every parting, every reunion, every moment where their feelings were most heightened, all of it was present in this kiss, and Hibiki had to return those feelings. She cradled Miku's face in her hands, deepening their kiss as Miku drew her close.

This was what Hibiki had been fighting for. She’d fought for the world, for understanding, for her friends, but this, the girl in her arms right now, her precious friend – this peace they could share now, just the two of them, this was the only reward she needed.


	2. Carol's Rice House (Part I)

Once upon a time, there was a deep, spooky forest. No one ventured into it because there were rumors of a witch living deep within its bowels. But all the same, some brave souls were intrigued because the rumors also mentioned that the witch lived in a house most quaint. It was, so spake those intrepid enough to sneak a glance, made entirely of rice!

Now, there are some who say that rice as a building material may lack structural integrity. And others might point out that rice, being a foodstuff, is prone to rotting and would thus be quite stanky. But anyone who has ever done dishes after a hearty meal of rice will know that some of those grains will stick to dishes like a mother, no matter how much elbow grease you use. Packed well enough, rice is a fine building material. As to the question of rot, well, this _is_ a witch’s house we’re talking about. It’s probably magic. Now stop questioning the narration.

To continue, the deep, spooky forest was bereft of human activity because it was spooky and a witch lived there. But some youngsters from a nearby village would occasionally egg each other on into holding tests of courage in which they attempted to penetrate the forest as deep as they dared to prove bravery. Our story begins with two such lasses.

Hibiki entered the forest with her lantern held high. Her hand trembled only slightly, but the light jumped and pulled new and strange shadows with each passing moment. Hibiki swallowed hard and squeezed her other hand, which held Miku’s. While Hibiki was in charge of the light, Miku’s grip tightened on her Glock. The two of them were all in for this test of courage.

There was an overgrown path that led into the heart of the forest, which anatomically speaking came before the bowels. The ancient wheel ruts were filled with stagnant water and thick mud, and jaggerbushes overran the sides of the bath, clawing at their clothes.

“It’s been a while.” Miku was the first to break their silence. Her words were discordant against the ominous forest soundtrack, with its hooting owls, chittering insects, wailing wind, rustling trees, and faint dubstep. “Do you think we’re courageous by now?”

Hibiki swallowed hard. “Y-yeah,” she said, side-eyeing a particularly large patch of shadow that she would have sworn had just moved. Her voice pitched higher as she added. “Definitely courageous. We should go tell our classmates how brave we are.”

Miku sighed and gave Hibiki a shaky smile. “Let’s turn around and get out of here.”

They turned around – and kept turning. In the time of their brief exchange, the path beneath their feet had vanished, leaving them on a carpet of moldy fallen leaves. Hibiki waved her lantern around like it was a glowstick at an idol concert, hoping to reveal the path, but there was nothing. They were lost.

Hibiki and Miku looked at each other, their faces mirrors of despair. Hibiki searched desperately for something comforting to say, maybe some sort of stock catch phrase. “Hey-,” she began, then broke off. “Hey! Miku, do you hear that?”

Melodious notes wafted through the air, a powerful yet beguiling string of notes that guided the girls’ footsteps like they were following a trail of bread crumbs. But instead of bread crumbs, it was…

“Rice?” Miku murmured. She crouched to examine the white clump of the side of the path. “Hibiki, shine the lantern here.”

“Huh? That does look like rice!” Hibiki’s eyes lit up as she crouched next to Miku. “But there’s only one way to find out!” Her hand darted out, and she grabbed a fistful and crammed it in her mouth.

“Hibiki, how many times do I have to tell you not to eat food you find on the ground?” Miku groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She sighed. “Well? Is it rice? … Hibiki?”

Hibiki gazed into the forest depths unseeing. Her mouth hung open, grains of rice caked around her lips. Her eyes shone with ecstasy. She gave herself a full body shake when Miku elbowed her. “Hhhh… Yeah… Rice…” Hibiki grabbed Miku by the shoulders. “The best rice I have ever eaten! Miku, try it!”

“I’ll pass.” Miku squirmed out of Hibiki’s grip and stood up, brushing stray rice off her shoulders. “I just wonder where it came from.”

“You’re a genius!” Hibiki gave Miku a grin that put their lantern to shame. “Wow, if we find where it came from, there’s bound to be more. Let’s go!”

Cooked rice was evidence of civilization, so they could do worse than search it out. As Hibiki bounded ahead in search of rice, Miku noticed that with every patch of rice they found, the entrancing harp music grew just so slightly louder…


End file.
